Saturday February 11th, 2023
My Dear America:
It was Tuesday Night in Washington and Joe Biden was back in the building where he had already spent more than half of his life working as a United States Senator.
It was State Of The Union Night and President Joe Biden was on fire. This was his night and he knew it. He was ready. He had spent a good deal of time preparing for this speech tonight. He knew just how important this speech could be to his agenda and to his pending Presidential Campaign. And he also knew just how much he had accomplished over the past two years he had spent as President of the United States. Tonight he was not going to let anyone in that room or in any of the living rooms in America watching Television forget what he and the Democrats had accomplished in the past two years after Four Years of Donald Trump and his Republican Cohorts running Roughshod over America.
The Senate Chamber was loaded with Political Heavyweights and so was the gallery that surrounded the Chamber.
There Were Supreme Court Justices there. Not all of them.
Samuel Alito, who had authored the decision striking down Roe V Wade didn't show. I wonder why.
Most Democratic Senators and House Members showed up. So did most of Biden's Cabinet members.
So did quite a few Republican members of the House and Senate.
Most Networks carried the State Of The Union Live, as well as cable outlets like CNN and MSNBC.
I watched it on MSNBC. They had pretty much all of their Heavy Hitter Hosts on the Panel during their Pre Speech Show and commenting afterward. Those Heavy Hitters included Rachel Maddow as the Main Host, Joy Reid, Nicole Wallace, Alex Wagner, Chris Hayes, Lawrence O'Donnell, Ari Melber and various other MSNBC News Personalities.
President Biden took his time entering the Chamber and spoke and shook hands with quite a few people on the way to the lectern where he would give the State of the Union Speech.
He began his speech by congratulating the recently elected Republican Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy and he also congratulated the first black Democratic House Leader, Hakeem Jeffries.
He also gave Special Recognition to Outgoing Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, who he described as "The Greatest Speaker" in the History of the United States.
It didn't take the President very long to mention that during his two years in office a record 12 Million more new jobs had been created than any other Previous President had ever experienced in their Complete Four Year Terms.
Biden also mentioned the once in a generation Infrastructure Law building bridges as well as other American infrastructure. He cited the fact that he signed over 300 Bipartisan laws since becoming President including the following:
Reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.
The Electoral Count Reform Act
The Respect for Marriage Act that protects the right to marry the person you love.
Biden stated that it was his intention to build an economy from the bottom up and the middle out, not from the top down. "Because when the middle class does well, the poor have a ladder up and the wealthy still do very well." He didn't forget to mention that he expected the wealthy and corporations to begin to pay their fair share of taxes.
The President stated that the Unemployment rate is at 3.6 %, a fifty year low and that means of course near record low unemployment for Black and Hispanic workers.
The President bragged that we've already created 800,000 good paying manufacturing jobs and that with the implementation of the Infrastructure plan and other government legislation many good paying Union jobs will be available to Americans. Some of those will be six figure paychecks available to many individuals without a College Education.
The President mentioned that Inflation which has been a serious problem seems to be coming down. He mentioned that Inflation has fallen every month for the last six months while take home pay has gone up.
Joe Biden also stated that over the last two years a record 10 million Americans applied to start a new small business.
He mentioned that America used to make nearly 40% of the world's Semiconductor Chips and now we only make 10%. This situation along with problems with importing Chips has caused serious problems with American Automakers who were unable to build cars due to Chip shortages. Low Chip availability has also caused production problems with the manufacturing of other items, as well.
"That's why we came together to pass the bipartisan Chips and Science Act," the President said.
Companies have announced that they are investing 300 billion dollars in investments in American Manufacturing.
President Biden also cited the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as the largest investment in Infrastructure since President Eisenhower's Interstate Highway system was funded.
"Already," he said "We've funded over 20,000 projects, including at major airports from Boston to Atlanta to Portland.
These projects will put hundreds of thousands of people to work rebuilding our highways, bridges, railroads, tunnels ports and airports, improving clean water and high speed internet across America."
Biden couldn't resist taking a jab at Republican Lawmakers who refused to vote for the Infrastructure Bill but ran back to their districts to take credit for the improvements that would take place in their districts as a result of the bill.
He said: "I sincerely thank my Republican Friends who voted for the law. And to my Republican friends who voted against it but still ask to fund projects in their districts, don't worry. I promised to be the President for all Americans. We'll fund your projects. And I'll see you at the groundbreaking."
Biden also promised replacement of "poisonous lead pipes throughout America that go into 10 million homes and 400,000 schools and childcare centers so every child in America can drink clean water."
Biden also announced "New Standards to require all construction materials used in federal infrastructure projects to be made in America."
Biden also promised to assist Americans in making Healthcare more affordable and promised Seniors that he would protect and defend Social Security and Medicare from plans by some Republicans to seriously jeopardize these programs.
When Biden talked about Republican Plans to jeopardize Social Security and Medicare Georgia Representative, Marjorie Taylor Greene, dressed in white and looking like a cross between Cruella DeVille and a Howler Monkey, rudely shouted out
"Liar"
Biden responded by getting legislators to appear to respond that they were almost all committed to the Preservation of Social Security and Medicare.
In the end Marjorie Taylor Greene looked like an out of touch rich bitch in a white fur coat who foolishly annoyed even members of her own party.
Biden also made a point of taking on what he called "Junk Fees". Which he identified as hidden surcharges that many businesses use to make you pay more. Biden made a good point when he stated that Junk fees may not matter to the very wealthy but they matter to most folks in homes like the ones that Biden grew up in.
Biden had a lot of good ideas and he showed himself to be a capable, honest and empathetic speaker.
He made mention of some very important people who were sitting in the Gallery including the following:
His wife, Jill Biden.
His Vice President's Husband, Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff.
Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, who was recovering from an attack by a right wing nut with a hammer and noticeably did not remove his hat during the night's proceedings.
Brandon Tsay - a 26 year old Californian who fought an intruder at his grandparents dance studio taking away the intruder's gun and preventing people from being killed.
The Parents of Tyre Nichols - A young black man who was beaten to death by several black Memphis Police Officers after a traffic stop.
Joe Biden asked the Congress to pass a ban on Assault Weapons.
He also pleaded for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and providing The Border Patrol with the equipment and officers to maintain the border.
The President also pledged to sign legislation that would codify Roe V Wade to protect every women's right to choose. He also made it clear to Republicans that if they pass a national abortion ban that he will veto it.
Biden also recommended passage of the Bipartisan Equality Act to ensure LGBTQ Americans, especially Transgender Americans that they can live with safety and dignity
Biden also made clear that America would continue to stand with Ukraine as that country attempts to defend itself from the terror of its unlawful murderous invasion by it's powerful neighboring country, Russia.
Support for mental health legislation, burn pit legislation and legislation to drive breakthroughs in the fight against Cancer, Alzheimer's Disease, Diabetes and so much more was recommended by our President in the State of The Union message.
In the end Joe Biden not only told us but also showed us that on Tuesday Night, February 7th The State of the Union in America was Strong and so was America's President.
During the rest of this past week President Biden has been on the road letting Voters know just what his Administration stands for and how much he and his Democratic Legislative Partners and those Brave Republicans who have had the Courage to vote their conscience have accomplished thus far during the Biden Administration.
Recent Polls indicate that Americans do not seem to recognize just how much legislative progress has happened thus far in the Two years that Joe Biden and his Democratic Allies have been in charge of the Federal Government. Unfortunately Republicans have gained control of the House of Representatives and threatened to refuse to approve increasing the Debt Ceiling and have also threatened the continuation of Social Security and Medicare.
What has been the ending tagline for most of President Biden's speeches this week as he traveled around the country is something close to the following:
If You are a Republican Legislator and your dream is to get rid of Social Security and Medicare I (Joe Biden) am your worst nightmare.
Hold onto your hats, people, it looks to me as if during this week the Biden Campaign for a Second Term as President of the United States of America has already begun.
And God Bless Our Troops.
Sincerely Yours
Jerry Gallagher
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